Locking mechanism



' April 29, 1930. E. L/DUNN LOCKING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 3, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W Lu. 13 INVENTOR ATTORNEY P 1930- Q E. 1.. DUNN 1,756,345

' LOCKING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 3, 51 928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5 I 4-1.. 13 INY N EDWARD LEE nutrition EAST ORANGE, ivnwannsnv, assienon' To one ELEVATOR Patented Apr, 29, 1930 T NI-re n STATES PATENT [QWWE L oomrnnv, emmw Yonn ,v n. Y.-, A CORPORATION on NEW JERSEY LooKine MECHANISM Ap plication filed October 3, 1928.; Salem. 309,955,

-The inventionrelates to locking mechanism for elevator hatchway-doors and particularlyto mechanism for interlocking the hatchway doors with the elevator car and ith the control devicetorat C p The invention isidirect'ed to locking mechanism of the above character primarily adapted torelevator systems inwhich a handrope is provided' for controlling'theoperation. of theelevato'r car."-

,One feature of the venting the operation ofthecontrol device to start the elevator car unless allthe hatchway doors are closed. I

Another featureofthe invention is to prevent the opening of any door unless the car i'satIthe-floor at which the door is located and the control device is in the oif position.

Still another feature of the invention; refsides in doublylockingeach door when the control device is in running position and the elevator car 1s away: from the floor at which such door islocated;

A fourth feature of the, invention isthe provision of locking mechanism which is of simple and rugged construction .cheap to manufactureg'easy to'install, and whichis positive inoperation, o y c A fitthlfeature of the invention resides in the provision of locking mechanism which may 1 begfused-without' alteration for either rightor left-hand doo'rs T o 1 3013 1181 fieatures and ac'lvantfages will become apparent from: the following'descrip? tion ancl appended claims. L The invention W'll'fbe descr1bed,by way of illustration-, asem'bodi'ed in a hand rope controlled elevator system which the hatchway doors arevertically-movable; although it is to be understood: that-:this invention is equally applicabletohorizontallysliding and othertypes o'fdoorst A treight-elevator in-;

stal-lation inwhich the gstartin'gand stopping v ofth'e car is controlled by a hand-"ropeand in which vertically movable 'hatchway gates provided for closing the: hatchway openings at the various landings, istypical of such a i system and p the 1 nvention; isillustrated as p i td this. typeof insta11ati n-.,

' The invention involves amember connected invention resides in. p e;

the cooperation of the lockingdevice and the I second member tolock the controlling 'mech- I .anism in off position when the 'hatchway door is open, .an'd th'at' movement ot'thesecond member is prevented by the cooperation of, p the" locking device andlthe first member to L lock the hatchway' do'or in closed position when the controlling mechanism is moved to" a start position; and further involves latching means for cooperating with said locklng device .to prevent; movement of the first member and thus lock theihatchway door in closed position when the elevator car is away from the landing at which the door is located, regardless of whether or notmo-ve} 3 merit of the first member is prevented by the cooperation of the locking device and the second member. The invention also involves operating-all of the second members by coin- 'mjon actuating means so as. to effect thelock of all hatchway doorswhenever the control mechanism is in either start position;

In the drawings: I o c Figure 1- s o a schematic representation 03E a hand-rope-cont'rolled elevator system embodying the invention;

.to the controlling mechanism for the Veleva-Y Figure 2 isan elevation of the locking mechanism which is providedffat each floor withportions of the coverremoved to illustr'ate certain structural deta ls Figure?) is a sectional View of the locking ure 2; Q 7

;Figure 4 is a sectional viewvof the locking mechanism taken along the line 45-4 ofiFig ure'2; i r 7 mechanism taken along 'the line,3 3 of Fig- Figure 5 is a'fragmentaryview of the lo ckin'g mechanism as appliedto the vertically sliding hatchway gate of Figure 1, withpo'rtions brokenaway to illustrate certain strucj tural details V linfefi-G ofFigure 5, and illustrates a porv Figure 6 isa sectional view taken alonglthe Figure 7 illustrates the adaptation of the locking mechanism to a collapsible hatchway gate, parts being broken away to illustrate certain structural details.

Referring to Figure 1, the elevator shaft is indicated by the numeral 10, the car by the numeral 11 and the hoisting motor and apparatus for operating the car within the shaft by thenumeral12. A reversing-switch 13is provided for controlling the operation of motor 12, the switch being operated from the car by a hand rope 14. A turnbuckle 15 is inserted in hand rope 14 for maintaining the rope taut between controller sheave 16 and sheave 17. i v

' A centering rope 18 with a weight 22 secured'at one end thereof is provided for the hand rope 14, the centering rope being open ably connected to hand rope 14 by means of chains 20. Chains 20 are held 'in their proper positions relative to hand rope 14 by means of the stop balls 21. By this construction centerin ro e 18 and wei 'ht 22 are alh b ways moved upwardly from theirneutral position regardless of the direction that the hand rope 1 4 is moved from its neutral position. Thus, the tendency of the centering rope and weight is to return the controlling mechanism to neutral, or center.

At each floor of the installation a locking mechanism 23 is provided which is operably connected to thislcentering rope and operably connected to the adjacent hatchway gate. V The construction of locking mechanism 23 is clearly shown in Figures 2 to 6 inclusive. According to the preferred arrangement, a base 24 is provided with holes 25 through which base supporting screws may be inserted for securing the base to a wall of the shaft. A segment or quadrant 26 is pivotally mounted upon base 24 by means of a pin 27 which .is securely riveted to the base. A cotter pin 19 serves to holdsegment 26 in place. Segment 26 is provided with two operating faces 28 and 30, and with a projecting lug 31, and

' also with a grooved or recessed portion 32 to allow'the segment to be thrownto any po- "sition without it interfering with or engaging centering rope 18. Base 24 is suitably recessed at 29 to allow the segment 26 to freely swing from one to the other of its extreme po sitions, the ends of the recess forming stops therefor. Rigidly secured to base 24' are two pairs of supporting arms 33, upon each pair of which a latch or lever 34 is pivotally mounted by means of a pin 35. Each of the latches 34 is provided with an enlarged portion36 at its end adjacent segment 26 for engaging the projecting lug 31 of this'segment.

A compression spring37 is'providedfor each latch 34 for urging the latch insuch a direction that its enlarged portion 36 is held in engagement with segment 26. Each latch 34 is further provided with a cam engaging semi-cylindrical recess 43 formed within base 24 thereby forming a longitudinal cylindrical passage 50 on one side of segment 26. A similar longitudinal semi-cylindrical recess 51 is formed within the cover 45 to cooperate with semi-cylindrical recess 44 formed within base 24 thereby forming a longitudinal cylindrical passage 52 on the other side of segment'26. Screws 53 serve to securely fasten cover plate 45 to base 24.

Each locking mechanism 23 is so placed at the floor that centering rope 18 passes down through cylindrical passage 52. At each floor a pipe or cylindrical rod 54 is securely fastened to centering rope 18 by means of a rope pin 55 and a rope clamp 56 so that the pipe 54 passes up through cylindrical passage 52 with the rope 18 upon vertical movement of the rope. Each hatchway gate 57 is provided with an extension arm 58 upon which arm a pipe or cylindrical rod 60 is secured. As gate 57 is moved into open position, pipe 60 is mounted to pass up through cylindrical passage 50. Hatchway gate 57 is also provided with a door rope 61 and with a counterweight 69 attached to the end of the door rope.

The elevator car 11 is provided with a cam'67,as maybe seen in Figures 1 and 6, this cam being positioned to engage portions 41 of latches 34 in the locking mechanism 23 of each floor when the elevator car is opposite that fioor. In so doing,cam 67 depresses portions 41 and'lifts enlarged portions 36 out of the path of movement of lug 31.

The operation of the mechanical interlocking mechanism is as follows Assume that elevator'car ll'is stopped at a floor and that the hatchway gate at that floor is open, as shown in Figure 1. The parts of locking mechanism 23 at that floor are then in the positions shown in Figures 2 and'3. Pipe 54 is in its lowestposition as hand rope l4, and thus centering rope 18, are in their neutral position. Pipe 60 is in its highest ment 26'in tl'1e'posi'tion shown, thus securely 60 moves downwardly out of engagement with segment '26, thereby releasingthe segment. Centering rope 18 is thus unlocked to permit'movement ofhand rope 14 when the hatchway gate is closed. I When hand i'ope'14 is moved either in an up or adown directlon depending upon wh ch direction it is desired to move the can, centering ropev 18 is moved upwardly 'by' oneof the chains 20 The rope takes'with' it pipei 54Wl1l0l1; en

gages operating face 8O otsegm'ent 26 causfing the segment' to SWlIlgltOyltS others extreme positionlJ-Segment 26 is then securely locked in'that positiong-bypipe 54, thus securely locking hatchway' gate 57 in its closed position when the controlling mechanism 18 actuated to move the'car. The parts are then in the position showninzFigureo. Any at tempt to openhat chwaygate 57 is prevented by the immediate. engagement, of pipe with operating face 280i secured segment 26;

As car llmovesjfr om the floor, cam 67-,di'sengagesportions 41 of latches 34, whereupon enlarged portionsr36 of the latches move, into engagement-with segment Q-Sunder theiin fluence of springsf37z- 'Movement of-segment 2 6 is then:impossible,-since itslug 31 abuts enlarged portions 38 of latches ,34 This is illustrated by the dot-and dash outline in Figure 3.; Shaft (100157'15 therefore doubly locked in closed position when car 11 is in motion'away from'the landing, since it is locked by .thesegment andipipe 54, and

by the segment, lug 31 and latches34.

the car to rest at a landing the centering rope drops to its lowest position, carrying withit each of the pipes 54. The cylindrical surface of each pipe no longer abuts the operatlng' facej130 otthe corresponding segment. .Hence, one of the locks tor-each segment26 1s released. Asthe car-nears the landing, the car cam 67depresses portion 41 to release the latches 34: from the lug 31 of the locking mechanism of that landing thereby completely unlocking that hatchwa-y gate. The hatchway gates forall theotherllandingsremainlocked, however, as, the latches34 of the locking mechanisms-for such landings stillqengage their respective lugs 31; Thus, .as only.

one gate at a time can hav'e'its latches 34 released, only one gate may beopened at'a time, that gate being forthe landing at which: the

car is stopped. g I

y In Figure 7 the locking mechanism is shown When thehand ropeis actuated to bring' in an installation in which a collapsible hatch-. way gate 62 is used. The only difierence in applying the interlocking system to'this in stallation over that shown inFigures 5 and 6 is the manner of connecting pipe 60 to the door.- Apipe supporting arm 63 is secured to one of the cross-bars of the gate'above the interlock mechanism and isconnected'to: pipe GO by means of aconnecting link 64. Connecting link 64 passesthrough annular recessed'portion 32 of. segmentQG so'thatit may freely movewithin passage 50 without inter tering with the action of the segment;

The figures illustrate theinterlocking sys- I tem as applied'to anelevator system in which the hand rope control,the centering rop'e,and the pipe 60 torthegateareon the right' hand side of the hatchway openings; that is, pipe 60 moves through longitudinal passage 50, and centering rope'{pipe 54 moves through longitudinalpassage 52. It the elevator system is so constructed that theh'an'd rope con trol. and;thecenteringrope are on the lefthand side of the hatchway, it is to be noted that the'sam'e locking mechanism 23 may be used, without any changes or alterations, for

pipe '54 may move through longitudinal passage 50 and pipe 60 through longitudinal pas sage 52 andthe operation of the locking mechanism'23'will not be changed i Although the interlock has been illustrated withtwo latches only one may beused if desired, for the operation will be the same with either one 'or 'two latches. Theme of two latches, however, adds't-o thesafety of the device. It mayhappen that a person may wishto open a hatchway gate other than the gate oppositeto which the car hasstopped',

portions 41' of the latches and thereby'release thesegmentthat locks the gate. person cannot ,manually' release "the segment and.

open the shattway gate when two latchesare employed since'it'requires both hands to-release both latches. I In the eventthat acentering.ropeshould and endeavor to do so'by manually depressing not be provided for the hand rope control mechanismof the elevator, it is to be undeiy stood that a rope may be secured to thehand ropes in a manner slmilar to the arrangement. of a centering rope; or that,- 'if. the control mechanism be of some other type, a rope or other device may-be suitably 'arrangedqso "tha'tyupon the operation ot th'e controlling device toeithehstart-position, the rope" or other devlce 1s moved'in one and thesame direction to" cooperate with the/locking mech anisms in a mannersimilar to that described for acentering'roper I As many changes could be made the above constructionand many apparently widely different embodiments Of'this'invention could be made'without departing" front th e' 'scope thereof, it is intended that" all mat- 'ter'f contained in the ahovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitin sense.

lVhat is claimed is:

'1. An interlock for aliatchway door and the controller of an elevator system compris-- ing,a member secured to said .hatchway door, a member operatively connected to the controller, and means to lock either one of said members by the movement of the other, said means including a devicecooperating with both of said members, and also'including the member that is moved. V

.2. In an elevator system .in whch a hand rope is provided for controlling the operation of the elevator car and in which a hatchway door is provided for a landing, a locking member for said door, means cooperating with said locking memberto lock said door when the car is away from said landing, and

' means operated by said hand rope upon movement thereof to start the car to cooperate with said locking member to lock said door, both of said means being adapted to cooperate with said locking member simultaneously when the car is away from said floor and said hand rope is in running position to doubly lock said door.

3. In an elevator system in which a hand rope is provided for controlling the starting of the elevator car andin which a hatchway door is provided for a landing, mechanism for interlocking said hand rope and said hatchway door to prevent operation of said hand rope to start the car when the door is open, said mechanism comprising, a memberconnected 'to said hand rope to be moved thereby upon operation of said hand rope to start the car, securing means operable to prevent'said motion of said member, and means Operable by said door upon opening thereof to positively operate said securing means to lock said hand rope against operation.

4a In an elevator system in which controlling mechanism is provided forcontrolling the movement of the elevator car and in which a hatchwaydoor is'provided at each of aplurality of landings; door'locking means for each of said hatchway doors, each locking means comprlsing, a door member secured to r the corresponding door, a lock member movable into position to obstruct the door opening movement of said door member, and

. latching means operable'upon movement of .55

the elevator car from'the landing at which the door located and continuously operable while the elevator car is awayfromsuch landing, to prevent movement of the lock member therefor from said obstructing position; means operable upon the arrival of the elevator car at such landing to release the ,latching means for said door and thereby permit the removal of the lock member from the obstructing position and consequently permit the door-opening movement of said door member; auxiliary latching means for each lock member operable to prevent movement of thelock member from its obstruct ing position; and common mechanical actuating mechanism for all of said auxiliary latching means actuatable by said controlling mechanism upon movement thereof to start the car tooperate all of said auxiliary latching means to prevent movement of their respective lock members.

5. In an elevator system in which control mechanism is provided for controlling the operation of the elevator car and in which a hatchway gate is provided at each of a plurality of landings; mechanism for interlocking said control and said gates, each interlock mechanism comprising, a member movable by the corresponding gate upon opening thereof, a memberadapted to be moved in one and thesame direction upon operation of said control mechanism from ofi position into either starting position, a member associated with both of said other members'an d positioned to be moved by said second mentioned member, upon movement thereofas a result of the operation of said control mechanism to either start position, into such cooperative relation with said first mentioned member and to be maintained in such relation by said second mentioned member as to prevent movement of said first mentioned member and thus lock said gate, said secondmentioned member, upon return of said control mechanism to off position, moving to release said third mentioned member and thereby release the first mentioned member, unlocking said gate; and meanscommon to all of said interlock mechanisms and operable by said control mechanism, upon operation thereof from 01f position into either start position, to cause movement of all of said second mentioned members into locking relation with their respective first mentioned members.

6. In an elevator system in which control mechanismis provided for controlling the operation of the elevator car and in which a hatchway gate is providedateach of a plurality of landings; mechanism for interlocking said control, mechanism and said gates, each interlock mechanism comprising, a member movable by the corresponding gate upon opening thereof, a member adapted to be moved in one and the'same direction upon operation of said control mechanism from off positlon into either starting posltion, a mem ber associated with both of said other memmembers; and mechanism for each, gate for e ,ber in such position asto prevent movement of the secondmentioned member andthus 1 lock said control mechanism in th'e ofif posiing to release said third mentioned member and thereby release the first mentioned member, unlocking sald gate; means common to all ofsaid interlock mechanisms and oper able by said controlmechanism, upon opera tion thereof from 1 cli position into either start position, to cause movement. of all of said second mentioned members into locking relation with their respective first mentioned locking said third mentioned member for that gate when the car is away from the landing at which suchgate is locatecl, regardless 01 whether or not said gate is locked by'the second mentioned member of the interlock mechanlsm for suchgate.

7. In an elevator system inwhich control mechanism is provided for controlling the operation of the elevator car and in which a hatchway gate, is provided at a landing; mechanism for interlocking said control emechanismand said gate comprising, a member movable by the gateupon opening thereof, member movable in one'andthe same direction bysaid control mechanism upon operation thereof fromofl position into either starting position, a member associated with both of said other members and, positioned to bemoved by said second mentioned member, upon movement of said control mechanism toa start position, into such position with respect to the'first mentioned member and to bemaintained in such position bysaid second mentioned member as toprevent movement of said first mentioned member and thus lock thegate, said second mentioned member; upon return of said control mechanism to oii position, returning to position to release said third mentioned member andthereby' release the first mentioned member,-unlocking'the gate; and mechanism cooperating with said j third mentioned member to prevent 'movement of said first i-mentioned member and thus lock thegatewhen the elevator car away fromsaid landing, regardless of the position of the controlmechanism, e

8 In an elevator system in which control mechanisnr is provided for controlling the operationof theelevator car and in which a hatchway gate 18 provided at a landing, mechanism for nterlocking S2116; vcontrol -mechanismand said gate comprising, a member movable by the gate upon opening there'- of,a member movable in one and the same direction by said control mechanism upon operation thereof from ofi position into either starting position, a member associated with both of said other members and positioned to be moved by said second mentloned member, upon movement of sa d control mechanism to a start position, into such position with respect to the first mentioned member and to be maintained in such position by said second mentioned member as to prevent movement of said first mentioned member and thus lock the gates, saidsecond mentioned member,

upon return of said control mechanismlto off ,posltion, returning to position torelease said third mentioned member and thereby release the, first mentioned member, unlocking the gate, and said first mentioned member moving said third mentioned member upon open- 7 ing of the gate into such position with respect to the second mentioned member and thereafter maintaining said third mentioned memtion v 9. In an elevator system in which hand rope control mechanism is provided for controlling the operation of theelevator car and in which a hatchway gate is provided at, a

landing, mechanism for interlocking said hand rope COIltIOl lTlBCllHllSIl'l and said gate comprising, a member movable by the gate upon opening thereof, a rope connected to said hand rope control mechanism to be moved thereby in one andthe same direction I upo'n operation of saidhand'rope control into the path of; movement of thefirst mentioned member and. to be maintained in such position by said rope operated member, there by preventing movement of said first mentioned member and thus locking the gate, said rope operated member, upon return of said hand rope control mechanism to off position, returning to position to release said segment and thereby release the; first mentioned member, unlocking the gate. 7

-, 10. In anfelev'ator system in which hand rope control mechanism is provided'for controlling the operation of the elevator car and in which a hatchway gate is provided at a landing; mechanism for interlocking said hand rope control mechanism and-said gate comprising, a member movable by the gate upon opening thereof, a rope connected to said hand ropecontrol mechanism to be moved'thereby in one and the same direction upon operation of said hand rope control mechanism. from ofi position into either startingposition, a member connectedto said "rope to be moved thereby, a pivoted segment,

associated with both members and positioned to bemoved about its pivot by said rope operated member, upon movement of said hand rope controlmechanism to a start position, into the path of movement of the first mentioned member andtobe maintained inysuch position by said rope operated niernberthere- 'me'chani by preventing movement of said first mentioned member and'thus locking the gate, "said rope operated member, upon return of said hand rope control mechanism to off position, returning to position to release said segment'and thereby release the first mentioned member, unlocking the gate; mecha- "nism operable cooperation with said segmentnvhen the elevator car 1s away from said landing, to prevent movement of said first mentioned member-and thus lock the gate;

and means for releasing said second mentioned mechanism from cooperative relation with-said segment, when the car is at the landing, to permit movement of the first mentioned member and thereby permit opening of the gate provided thehand rope control is in off position.

I 11. Inan" elevator systeminwhichl1andrope-operated control mechanism is provided foncontrolling the'operation of the elevator car andin which a hatchway gate is provided ata landing; mechanism for interlocking sald hand rope control mechanism and said gate" comprisin a pair of guideways arranged inthe hatchway adjacent said gate,

a rod member securedto the gate for move- -ment in one of said guideways upon openin 'Qf'the gate, a centering rope connected to said hand rope to be moved thereby in one and jthe same direction upon movement of said hand rope to operate said control mechanism from off 1 position into either starting position, a rod member connected to said centering rope for movement in the other of said guideways upon operation of said control mechanism, a segment pivoted between said guideways and arrangedto be moved about its pivot by saidcentering-rope-operated rod member, upon movement of said hand rope to operatesaid control mechanism to either start-position, across said one guideway to obstruct the movement of the first mentioned rod member and to be locked in such obstructing position by said centering-rope operated "rod member, thereby preventing movement of said first mentioned rod 'member and thus locking the gate, said centering-ropeoperated rod member, upon movement of said handrope to restore said control mechanism 'to off position, returning to posltlon to unlock said segment and thereby release the thereby preventing movement of said cention. l 7 7 ant elevator system in which hand- "rope-operated-control mechanism is provided for controlling the operation of the elevator "car and in which a hatchway gate is provided 'at a landing; mechanism for interlocking said hand rope control mechanism and said gate comprising, a pair of guideways ar-' ranged in the hatchway adjacent said gate,

a rod member secured to the. gate for movement in one of said guideways upon opening of the gate, a centering rope connected to said hand rope to be moved thereby in one and the same direction upon movement of said hand rope to operate said control mechanism from ofi position into either starting positlon, a rod member connected to sand centering rope for movement-1n the other of said guideways upon operation of said control mechanism, a segment pivoted between said guideways and arranged to be" moved about its pivot by said centering-rope-operated rod member, upon movement of said hand rope to operate said control mechanism to either start position, across said one guideway to obstruct the movement ofthe first mentioned rod member and to be locked in such obstructing position by said centering-rope-operated rod member, thereby preventing movement of said first mentioned rod member and thus locking the gate, said centering-rope-operated rod men1ber,,upon movement of said hand rope to restore said control mechanism to off position, returning to position to unlock said segment and thereby release the first mentioned rod. member, unlocking the gate, and said first mentioned rod member moving said segment about its pivot, upon opening of the gate, across saidother guideway to obstruct the movement of the centering-rope-operated rod member and locking said segment in such obstructing position, thereby preventing movement of said centering-ropeoperated rod member and thus locking said control mechanism in off position; latches operable in cooperation with said segment when the elevator car is away from said landing to preventmovement of the first mentioned rod member, thus locking the gate; anda cam carried by the elevator car for releasing said latches from cooperation with said segment, when the caris at the landing, to permit movement of the first mentioned rod member and thereby permit opening of the gate, provided the hand-rope-operated control mechanism is in off position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWARD LEE DUNN. 

